• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

Cassette trading

> Is there anyone out there that has actually stopped trading
> via cassette? Is this meadeum dyeing?
> I just bauht one of the new sony recordable walkmans that
> Adam has. Great stuff!
>

I still do cassettes, though I transfer the ones I receive to mp3 due to lack of storage space.

What kind of Sony walkman do you and Adam have?
 
> Is there anyone out there that has actually stopped trading
> via cassette? Is this meadeum dyeing?
> I just bauht one of the new sony recordable walkmans that
> Adam has. Great stuff!
>

I prefer to only trade on tape. I can do MP3 and CD but its hard to do because I have to record the airchecks onto tape first, then copy the tape to NP3. I can't record directly to MP3 because when I connect my radio to the computer, static galore.
<P ID="signature">______________
</P>
 
> I can't record directly to
> MP3 because when I connect my radio to the computer, static
> galore.

Jeremy,

Maybe I can help you figure out what is going on. Is it actual static, like AM during a thunderstorm, is it a hum, buzzing, or something else? Tell me what your equipment is, how you are connected it, etc.

How close is the radio to the computer? Does it happen on AM and FM both? Is the radio battery or AC powered? Is the AC and/or antenna cord anywhere close to the computer or any of it's cables?

Can you relocate the radio further away from the computer? Does the problem still happen, does it lessen?

John
<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by John Y. on 06/11/05 05:50 PM.</FONT></P>
 
> I have the Sony WM-GX221. Makes pretty good recordings on
> ththe Kingdom brand high quoloty tapes.
>

How much are those? Sounds pretty sweet. I just started trading, and I only do cassettes because technologically I'm in 1993 or so....<P ID="signature">______________
What do I know, I just play guitar and make pizzas.</P>
 
> > I have the Sony WM-GX221. Makes pretty good recordings on
> > ththe Kingdom brand high quoloty tapes.

You can get one of them from Amazon.com for $63.

John/Adam, perhaps you can comment on this? I had the two predecessors to this model, the WM-GX322 and the (non-US) WM-GX480 which I had my brother get for me while in Toronto. Both recorded very well, but the FM sensitivity was only fair. If I was near the transmitter, it worked great. If I was 25 miles away, reception wasn't great, if at all. Since the headphone jack is also used as an antenna jack, I plugged in a Y connector and used one leg of the Y for an "antenna" (actually jack a piece of patch cord) and the other for headphones. That helped a lot, but still not close to what I would like.

The WM-GX480 also suffers from overload. If I am close (within 5 miles?) of a transmitter, there will be spurs all over the dial. In other words, if the signal is 101.1, I might hear images of the signal at 102.7, 104.3, 105.5, etc. Several times that's prevented me from recording a station that sat on one of those spurs.

Does the WM-GX221 suffer from any of these conditions? I love the models that I have, but there is room for improvement.

Actually, what I am looking for is a good AM/FM receiver that will record directly to high quality MP3. I know there are a few devices out there now, but I've ruled many out for several reasons, such as not optimal MP3 bitrate, etc. But, then, I haven't looked in a year. Any suggestion guys?

John
 
> > I can't record directly to
> > MP3 because when I connect my radio to the computer,
> static
> > galore.
>
> Jeremy,
>
> Maybe I can help you figure out what is going on. Is it
> actual static, like AM during a thunderstorm, is it a hum,
> buzzing, or something else? Tell me what your equipment is,
> how you are connected it, etc.
>
> How close is the radio to the computer? Does it happen on
> AM and FM both? Is the radio battery or AC powered? Is the
> AC and/or antenna cord anywhere close to the computer or any
> of it's cables?
>
> Can you relocate the radio further away from the computer?
> Does the problem still happen, does it lessen?
>
> John
>

Wire: The only line in cable I have. It has problems (either that or the sound card) so most of the time (unless I jiggle it around) I can only get one channel (speaker)

AM: Radio can't be anywhere near the computer or you'll hear just dead quiet on every frequency.

FM: 101.9 (dead quiet. Impossible to get WTMX Chicago with this computer around), anywhere from 99.1-100.5 a loud ringing noise is transmited from the computer. I even get static on the other side of the room on what is a strong local (WMYX-99.1) If you connect the radio to the computer, it just gets worse and puts static on every other station. Moving the radio around is far from easy because it is a CD Changer stereo. Its the only radio I have that can actually withstand the static when connected to the computer.
<P ID="signature">______________
</P>
 
Jeremy,

If you can occasionally get stereo when you wiggle your cable, it's either the cable or the jack it's plugged into. If possible, try another cable.

What you have to figure out is exactly how the computer RFI is getting into the radio. Since you get it without attaching the the audio cable, it's either coming it over the air or via the AC power. This is why I asked you if you get it on battery power.

From your description of the interference though, I will guess it's over the air, but it might not be. An alternative possibility is that it could be coming out of the computer's AC cord, into the wall, and into your radio. That is why I asked you if it also happens if the radio or the computer is running on battery. If neither can run on battery power, I would suggest an attempt with a battery powered radio to rule that possibility out.

If it's coming over the air, the only thing that you can do, short of putting your computer in a lead-lined box, is to relocate the radio, having the antenna far from the computer (just how close is it anyway???).

One option that you could consider is using a device such as the Xitel Inport. Basically, it's an external sound card, which plugs into your USB port. It electrically isolates the radio out from the computer in, passing only the audio. By breaking ground loops, it prevents passing noise caused by them (I'm not saying you have a ground loop though). Then what you could do is have the radio on the other side of the room and use long RCA cables and/or long USB cables to connect.

Just some ideas. What brand and model of computer and radio are these?
 
> Jeremy,
>
> If you can occasionally get stereo when you wiggle your
> cable, it's either the cable or the jack it's plugged into.
> If possible, try another cable.
>
> What you have to figure out is exactly how the computer RFI
> is getting into the radio. Since you get it without
> attaching the the audio cable, it's either coming it over
> the air or via the AC power. This is why I asked you if you
> get it on battery power.
>
> From your description of the interference though, I will
> guess it's over the air, but it might not be. An
> alternative possibility is that it could be coming out of
> the computer's AC cord, into the wall, and into your radio.
> That is why I asked you if it also happens if the radio or
> the computer is running on battery. If neither can run on
> battery power, I would suggest an attempt with a battery
> powered radio to rule that possibility out.
>
> If it's coming over the air, the only thing that you can do,
> short of putting your computer in a lead-lined box, is to
> relocate the radio, having the antenna far from the computer
> (just how close is it anyway???).
>
> One option that you could consider is using a device such as
> the Xitel Inport. Basically, it's an external sound card,
> which plugs into your USB port. It electrically isolates
> the radio out from the computer in, passing only the audio.
> By breaking ground loops, it prevents passing noise caused
> by them (I'm not saying you have a ground loop though).
> Then what you could do is have the radio on the other side
> of the room and use long RCA cables and/or long USB cables
> to connect.
>
> Just some ideas. What brand and model of computer and radio
> are these?
>

It doesn't matter if the radio is battery powered or AC powered. So its probably not coming over the wall outlet.

The computer model is a Compaq Presario 5000 (1999-2000 era) and I am investing in a new computer right now so the problems should probably go down once I get a new one.

The radios I am using are any radio. Could be my Radio Shack DX-375, Sony Boombox, Magnavox Stereo (Magnavox and Phillips get great reception. I highly recommend them)
<P ID="signature">______________
</P>
 
John,
I get good reception of all of the NYC's here on Long Island. Locals aren't a problem. The thing i find most frustrating is trying to get a station like say WXPK next to WLTW. I don't understand why this is, but the tuner seems to not lock on to that 107.1, and wants to flip to 106.7.
Adam said it had something to do with how anolog tuning works. Can someone please explain this to me?
Thanks!

PS. frequency , responce is 40HZ-15KHZ, and it sounds verry nice! Not as good as my denon, but exceptable quoloty. <P ID="signature">______________
John
E-mail: [email protected]
AIM: RainAngelsRule
MSN: [email protected]</P>
 
My two cents...these days I prefer trading on CD. I have a dual cassette deck and two CD players connected to a Behringer mixer, which then goes into my computer. I also have my stereo with all it's components (VCR-Cassette-Dual CD Recording Deck-DVD Player) going into a Radio Shack mixer. I then take the headphone output of the stereo mixer and put that into the Behringer mixer. I bought the mixer so I can also produce radio shows.

So I have a couple of ways to convert to CD from tape. As I make copies for other people, I always keep a copy for myself. I will buy Fuji/TDK/Verbatim/Maxell/HP CD's, and generally Maxell and TDK tapes.

Happy Converting!

<P ID="signature">______________

Co/Moderator: New York,Miami,Airchecks,Classic Radio and Where Are They Now?</P>
 
> The computer model is a Compaq Presario 5000 (1999-2000 era)

A Presario 5000 notebook? I have two of them lying around in my basement (5000 LTE). I'll install an OS on one and see if I can duplicate your problem.
 
> > The computer model is a Compaq Presario 5000 (1999-2000
> era)
>
> A Presario 5000 notebook? I have two of them lying around
> in my basement (5000 LTE). I'll install an OS on one and
> see if I can duplicate your problem.
>

No. This is a Pressrio 5000 desktop computer.

http://pcworld.about.com/news/Aug212001id57667.htm

I got it used in 2003. And I believe it was put together with scrap parts. It has 64MB RAM and a 12GB Hard Drive. The space lack is so bad that I am using an external USB hard drive to store my MP3 files and other non software files.


<P ID="signature">______________
</P>
 
I still like to record on casette...if my stereo and computer were hooked up together, I would try mp3's, but my stereo is my sleeping room and my computer is in my living room..I would have to get a 100ft aux cord to hook it up and i don't want a bunch of wires all over my place.


> Is there anyone out there that has actually stopped trading
> via cassette? Is this meadeum dyeing?
> I just bauht one of the new sony recordable walkmans that
> Adam has. Great stuff!
>
 
I have the Sony GX 221...it is a grey walkman. it has speakers, a external mic, 2 rec speeds, am/fm analog tuner. The reception on AM is excellent, but FM can only pick up the locals well.


> > Is there anyone out there that has actually stopped
> trading
> > via cassette? Is this meadeum dyeing?
> > I just bauht one of the new sony recordable walkmans that
> > Adam has. Great stuff!
> >
>
> I still do cassettes, though I transfer the ones I receive
> to mp3 due to lack of storage space.
>
> What kind of Sony walkman do you and Adam have?
>
 
I paid $99 CDN at Future Shop in Toronto.


> > I have the Sony WM-GX221. Makes pretty good recordings on
> > ththe Kingdom brand high quoloty tapes.
> >
>
> How much are those? Sounds pretty sweet. I just started
> trading, and I only do cassettes because technologically I'm
> in 1993 or so....
>
 
John Y,

I agree with you 100% that the sony walkman has fair reception...I know this from using it in Las Vegas. I was getting static on the some of stations wheather it was on local or DX. I have heard people complain that some of the stations are terrible for reception as it is in a valley and the mountains are surrounding it. In Toronto, I seem to get better reception. I live 20 min from the CN Tower and have to keep the radio on "local" as I get lots of interference.


> > > I have the Sony WM-GX221. Makes pretty good recordings
> on
> > > ththe Kingdom brand high quoloty tapes.
>
> You can get one of them from Amazon.com for $63.
>
> John/Adam, perhaps you can comment on this? I had the two
> predecessors to this model, the WM-GX322 and the (non-US)
> WM-GX480 which I had my brother get for me while in Toronto.
> Both recorded very well, but the FM sensitivity was only
> fair. If I was near the transmitter, it worked great. If I
> was 25 miles away, reception wasn't great, if at all.
> Since the headphone jack is also used as an antenna jack, I
> plugged in a Y connector and used one leg of the Y for an
> "antenna" (actually jack a piece of patch cord) and the
> other for headphones. That helped a lot, but still not
> close to what I would like.
>
> The WM-GX480 also suffers from overload. If I am close
> (within 5 miles?) of a transmitter, there will be spurs all
> over the dial. In other words, if the signal is 101.1, I
> might hear images of the signal at 102.7, 104.3, 105.5, etc.
> Several times that's prevented me from recording a station
> that sat on one of those spurs.
>
> Does the WM-GX221 suffer from any of these conditions? I
> love the models that I have, but there is room for
> improvement.
>
> Actually, what I am looking for is a good AM/FM receiver
> that will record directly to high quality MP3. I know there
> are a few devices out there now, but I've ruled many out for
> several reasons, such as not optimal MP3 bitrate, etc. But,
> then, I haven't looked in a year. Any suggestion guys?
>
> John
>
 
> Actually, what I am looking for is a good AM/FM receiver
> that will record directly to high quality MP3. I know there
> are a few devices out there now, but I've ruled many out for
> several reasons, such as not optimal MP3 bitrate, etc. But,
> then, I haven't looked in a year. Any suggestion guys?
>
> John
>

John,

I have heard pretty good things about the new iRiver flash-based MP3 players. They will record from the built-in FM tuner at 128 kbps. Once recorded, simply transfer the mp3 file to your computer via USB.

I do not have one yet...so I cannot vouch for the quality of the tuner. I would assume it's decent enough for locals, similiar to a walkman's tuner. iRiver is considered one of the best for MP3 players.
 
Thanks Dave,

It would be interesting to read a review on it. I will keep my eye on it though. If you do get one, let me know your thoughts.

Thanks,

John
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom